The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-03-30
FROM WASHINGTON.
The Approaching National Drill-Moro
than = Years Salary-Pensions.
Correspondence Palafka News

than . Years Salary-Pensions.
Correspondence Pslatks News.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., March ~, 1887.
Although the weather continues cold
the days are bright and pleasant, and evi-
dences of the opening of spring time
abound upon every hand. The buds are
bursting upon the earlier varieties of
trees. and crocuses and other blooming
plants are in full blossoIhi in the parks and
public grounds.
As the time approaches for the opening
of the great National Drill the head
quarters of the committee. having the
matter in charge, presents a very active
appearance. Military organizations from
every State i'm the Union have notified the
committee of their intention of partici-
pating i'm the contests, and il is probable
that at least fifteen thousand men will be
included in the grand review, TO be held
upon the closing day. Although the
success of the undertaking had long
since been assured. the uncertainty
which has existed regarding the conces-
sions tn be expected from railroad com
ganizations from mourning the expense
of the journey.
Since it has been decided that all of
the trunk lines of the country are to
carry passengers at less than one-half
fare, the committee has been jubilant.
and there is no longer doubt but that
the National Capital will be taxed to its
uttermost to accommodate its guests
during drill week" As the last day of
the drill will occur upon Decoration
Day. it is proposed that the visiting mill
tary shall visit the National Cemetery at
Arlington, and participate in the decora-
ton ceremonies, and as the route by the
Long Bridge is circuitOus. "A pontoon
bridge will be thrown across the river,
at the foot of c. street. for use upon that
occasion.
There seems To he no relation between
the railroad collisions and the Patent
Office, but one of the direct results of the
recent railroad disasters i'm Vermont and
Massachusetts,, has been to stimulate
the inventive minds throughout the
country, and they have set at work to
invent something that will supply an
acknowledged public need and the Patent
Office is being flooded with applications
for patents for a great variety of devices
for modifying the danger incident to the
present means Of heating railway cars.
No less than three hundred and sixty
applications of this class have been re-
ceived during the past six weeks. and
the number is increasing daily.
One of the stable institutions of the
National Government is the office of the
Sergeant-at-Armso of the House of Rep
resentatives. 1t is at this office that the
employees of the House side of the Capt.
tol receive their monthly payments, and
the office is open the year round.
Among the members i'm the city, who
visited the office a day or two since. was
Representative w. L. Scott, of Pennsyl-
vania. Mr.. Scott had not drawn any
portion Of his salary for more than a
year, and he received from the cashier
$1,000, which is said to have been the
largest sum ever paid to a single individ-
ual in the history of the office.
The work of the pension office Is in
creasing so rapidly that there is a likeli-
hood of the Office being swamped unless
there is let up. During the past week
6, "a. new claims were filed: 2. .3i7 claims
were rejected. and 2,1+. allowed; and
the total number now pending is 2s.,-
49,. The Mexican pension claims are
coming in in large numbers, and it is
not seen how it is possible to dispose of
the number before the end Of the fiscal
year. ending June 3d. 1885, The % .OO0,-
OoO- and over. appropriated for this
class of claims must he paid out before
that time. or else, whatever balance is
on hand turned into the Treasury. This
will probably necessitate another appro-
priation by Congress as it is next to i'm
possible to finally dispose of the 10000
claims which il is estimated will be filed.
The claimants are beginning to under
stand the situation. and are accordingly
pressing their claims for all they are
worth. III.